along the sand spit to check the movement of sand, which tends to close the natural channel at the end of the spit. In the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890, an appropriation of $3,000 was made for continuing the improvement. A contract was made for dredging at and near the sand spit, work to be commenced September 15, 1891. Jetties will be also constructed along the beach on the outer side of the spit, this work to be done by hired labor. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890............... $3,000.00 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.... 3,000.00 $100.00 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.......... 1,987.50 2,087.50 July 1, 1891, balance available..... 912.50 13,080.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... (See Appendix J 9.) 13, 080. 00 10. York River, Virginia.-The Pamunkey and Mattaponi rivers unite at West Point, Va., to form the York River, which is 41 miles in length, and empties into Chesapeake Bay about 16 miles above Old Point, Va. Prior to the commencement of the improvement navigation was obstructed by Potopotank Bar, 9 miles below West Point, on which the ruling depth was 18.5 feet; by West Point Bar, extending about 2 miles below West Point, and having a ruling depth of 15.5 feet; and by shoal water in front of the West Point wharves, at the mouth of the Pamunkey. The original project provided for a channel 22 feet deep and 200 feet wide through these bars, with an increased width at the wharves. In 1884 the proposed channel width was increased to 400 feet, and in 1887 the project was amended so as to include the construction of a dike along the flats on the right of the channel, to contract the waterway and maintain the depth dredged, which had decreased from continued silting. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, $127,489.27 had been expended in the following work: A channel 105 feet wide and 22 feet deep was dredged in 1880-'81 through Potopotank Bar, which had, however, shoaled in 1890 to from 20.8 to 21.7 feet. A channel 22 feet deep and from 161 to 257 feet wide, with a center cut 24 feet deep and 40 feet wide, had been dredged at West Point Bar, the ruling depth in January, 1890, being 20.6 feet. An appropriation of $30,000 was made in the river and harbor act of September 19, 1890, for continuing the improvement. A contract was made March 9, 1891, with the Baltimore Dredging Company for dredging material from the channel and depositing it in an embankment on the flats, so as to form a dike and contract the river channel. The contract price for this work was 143 cents per cubic yard. Owing to the soft character of the material forming the flats the contractors were unable to form the embankment with the plant at their command, and after several weeks of unsuccessful work requested that their contract be modified so as to provide for dredging in the channel and dumping at other dumping grounds to be provided by them at 9 cents per cubic yard, stating that they had already been at large expense and had accomplished practically nothing. The proposed price was regarded as reasonable, and as channel dredging was required at once to accommodate the cotton shipments of the current year, and the proposed modifi cation would render about $10,000 available for the construction of a timber dike, it was thought advisable, in view of all the circumstances, to modify the contract. A supplemental agreement was accordingly made on May 11, 1891, and work thereunder commenced June 10, 1891. On June 30, 1891, a cut 80 feet wide and 22 feet deep had been made in front of the West Point wharves. An examination of the West Point channel shows that the shoaling continues, and that the ruling depth is now but 18 feet. Under the present appropriation the shoaler parts of this channel will be redredged, and the construction of the dike commenced. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.......... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.... July 1, 1891, balance unexpended... July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. $500,00 15,300.00 July 1, 1890, balance unexpended............. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890..... $1,300.73 30,000.00 July 1, 1891, balance available ..... existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal yearending June 30, 1893 100,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix J 10.) July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... July 1, 1891, balance available 31, 300. 73 2,420.90 28,879.83 11. Mattaponi River, Virginia.-The Mattaponi River is navigable for small steamers from its mouth at West Point, Va., to Ayletts, Va., a distance of about 52 miles, and can be made navigable for barges for about 26 miles above Ayletts to Munday Bridge. The obstructions to 5-foot navigation are five bars below Ayletts, having ruling depths of from 2.5 to 3.6 feet, and wrecks, snags, logs, and overhanging trees. There were eight bars reported above Ayletts, but no improvement of them is proposed. 15, 800.00 13, 079.83 The approved project adopted in 1880 provides for a channel 40 feet wide and 5.5 feet deep through the bars below Ayletts, and the removal of logs, snags, overhanging trees, wrecks, etc., as far up as Munday Bridge. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, $16,300 had been expended in removing snags, wrecks, logs, and other obstructions between Robinson Bar and Munday Bridge, a distance of 34 miles, and in building 2,226 linear feet of dike at Robinson Bar. The appropriation of $3,000, made September 19, 1890, was too small to be applied to dredging operations, and will be used in removing snags, leaning trees, etc., which again obstruct navigation. The plant formerly used for this purpose on the Rappahannock, Pamunkey, and Mattaponi rivers having become worn out, the construction of a new plant became necessary. At the close of the fiscal year this plant was nearly completed, and snagging operations will be commenced during the present working season (1891). $20,000.00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 10,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix J 11.) 12. Pamunkey River, Virginia.-The Pamunkey River has a navigable length of 59 miles, and empties into the York River at West Point, Va. Navigation was originally obstructed by five bars in the upper part of the river, and by snags, logs, and overhanging trees. The project was adopted in 1880 and amended in 1885, and provides for channels 100 feet wide and 7 feet deep through Spring Bar and Skidmore Bar, or to a distance of 47 miles above West Point, and channels 40 feet wide and from 3 to 5 feet deep through the bars above, together with the removal of logs, snags, wrecks, and overhanging trees. On June 30, 1890, logs, snags, etc., had been removed from 22.5 miles of the river between Garlick's Ferry and Hanovertown; dikes had been built at Spring Bar and Skidmore Bar, and a channel 95 feet wide and from 6 to 7 feet deep, dredged through the last-named bar. The amount expended to June 30, 1890, was $18,500. An appropriation of $3,000 was made September 19, 1890, which will be applied to the removal of snags, trees, and similar obstructions, which are annually renewed by freshets. The plant formerly used for this work having become worn out and useless, it became necessary to construct a new one. It is now nearly complete, and it is expected that the snagging operations will be commenced in July, 1891. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, balance unexpended $50.00 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts........ 1,532. 44 July 1, 1891, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix J 12.) $16.36 3,000.00 3,016. 36 1,582. 44 1, 433.92 10,000. 00 10,000.00 EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel Hains, and reports thereon submitted. It is the opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Hains, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are not worthy of improvement. This opinion being concurred in by me, no further surveys were ordered. 1. St. Leonard's Creek, Maryland.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 120, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 13.) 2. St. Jerome Bay, Maryland.-(See Appendix J 14.) 3. Piscataway Creek, Maryland.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 49, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 15.) ENG 91-10 4. Newport Creek, head of Wicomico River, Charles County, Maryland.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 169, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 16.) 5. Smith's Creek, Maryland.-(See Appendix J 17.) 6. Nandua Creek, Virginia.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 290, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 18.) 7. Potomac Creek, Virginia.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 17, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 19.) 8. Upper Machodoc Creek, Virginia.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 63, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 20.) 9. [Great] Wicomico River, Virginia.-(See Appendix J 21.) 10. Crane's Creek, Virginia.-(See Appendix J 22.) 11. Piscataway Creek, Virginia.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 59, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 23.) The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel Hains, and reports thereon submitted. It is the opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Hains, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are worthy of improvement. This opinion being concurred in by me, Lieutenant-Colonel Hains was charged with their survey, the reports on which will be submitted when received. 1. Eastern Branch of the Potomac River, including that portion in District of Columbia. 2. Potomac River, Virginia and Maryland, up to the city of Washington, with the view of removing obstructions and deepening the channel. EXAMINATION AND SURVEY, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF ACT APPROVED MARCH 3, 1891. Lieutenant-Colonel Hains was charged with the examination and survey for a breakwater to form a harbor of safety and refuge in Lynnhaven Bay, near Cape Henry, at the foot of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1891. The reports will be submitted when received. IMPROVEMENT OF CERTAIN RIVERS AND HARBORS IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA AND NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. Officer in charge, Capt. G. J. Fiebeger, Corps of Engineers; Division Engineer, Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers. 1. Harbor of Norfolk and its approaches, Virginia.-The project for improvement adopted in 1877 was to deepen and widen the channel at the mouth of the Southern Branch and along the Berkley and Portsmouth Flats, in the harbor proper, and for the approaches to dredge a channel 500 feet wide and 25 feet deep, at ordinary low water, through the bars at the Western Branch and Sewall Point. The revised project of 1885 is as follows: (1) To secure a channel not less than 25 feet deep and 500 feet wide at ordinary low water, by dredging from the deep water of Hampton Roads to Norfolk and the United States Navy-yard on the Southern Branch, and also to secure a channel in the Eastern Branch at the same stage, not less than 22 feet deep, with a width at least 300 feet at the Norfolk and Western Railroad Bridge, and gradually increasing to about 700 feet at its mouth, by dredging between said points; and (2) to ultimately dredge the entire area bounded by lines parallel to and 75 feet from the port-warden lines to a depth not less than 25 feet at ordinary low water, from Fort Norfolk to the United States Navy-yard, and not less than 22 feet from the mouth of the Eastern Branch to Campostella Bridge, and to construct a bulkhead at Berkley Flats. With slight modifications, all operations have been conducted in accordance therewith. The amount expended to June 30, 1890, was $482,996.10, which resulted in a channel at least 250 feet wide and 25 feet deep from Hampton Roads to Norfolk Harbor; a channel of the same depth and 125 to 500 feet wide in the Southern Branch to the United States Navy-yard, and a channel 22 feet deep and 200 feet wide in the Eastern Branch to the Norfolk and Western Railroad Bridge. The channel thus dredged was in a good condition August 1, 1889, except at the mouth of the Eastern Branch, where the depth was 20 feet. To accommodate the great increase in shipping since 1885, the river and harbor act of September 19, 1890, directs that Fifty thousand dollars shall be expended in improving the approach to the inner harbor and the United States Navy-yard at Norfolk, by increasing anchorage between Lambert's Point and Fort Norfolk. The total estimated cost of a suitable anchorage is $150,000, and this amount has therefore been added to the original estimates. Under the appropriation of September 19, 1890, a contract was made March 13, 1891, with the National Dredging Company, of Wilmington, Del., to remove about 1,250,000 cubic yards of material before May 30, 1892. Under this contract 273,022 cubic yards of material had been removed from the bar at Sewall Point on June 30. The channel has been increased in width from 250 to 350 feet, with a depth of 25 feet. During the fiscal year there was expended $15,719.54, which was applied to payments on contract, office expenses, care of property, etc. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. 2,003.90 150,000.00 152, 003.90 15,719.54 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1891, balance unexpended... July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... 136, 284.36 121, 612.00 July 1, 1891, balance available ............ 14, 672. 36 457,744.56 Amonat (estimated) required for completion of existing project. (See Appendix K 1.) 2. Approach to Norfolk Harbor and the United States (Norfolk) Navyyard between Lambert Point and Fort Norfolk.-The original condition of this channel was good with the exception of the shoal opposite the mouth of Western Branch, over which there was a navigable depth of 19 feet at ordinary low water. The project of 1878 was to dredge a channel 500 feet wide and 25 feet deep at ordinary low water the entire length of the shoal, 4,800 feet. The revised project of 1886 is: (1) To secure a channel not less than |